Land Use and Land Cover Changes in the Identity Territory Portal do Sertão from 1985 to 2022

The study aimed to assess the changes that have occurred in land use and land cover within the Maasai Mara landscape using remote sensed data from 1997 to 2017; examine the elephant distribution in relation to land use and land cover changes within the Mara landscape and to determine changes in elephant home ranges in relation to Land use and cover changes in the Mara landscape. In examining the land use and land cover changes on the elephant ranges and distribution, an integrated methodological approach was employed in which the changes that have taken place within the study area over a period of 20 years was determined by analysis involving a 10-year changes in land use and land cover using three epochs from 1997, 2007 and 2017 to generate six land use classes. The Maasai Mara Landscape (MML) supports one of the richest wildlife populations remaining on earth but over the last century, has experienced transformation notably through conversion of former rangelands into croplands. Elephants have both temporal and spatial requirements, which if not provided, render them vulnerable to the land-use practices. The study assessed land use and vegetation cover changes that have occurred and their effects on the elephant movements and distribution within the MML using an integrated methodological approach. The analysis revealed changes in land use and land cover classes over a period of 20 years for the three epochs, from 1997, 2007 and 2017. Elephant’s distribution has been restricted to areas of high vegetation densities within specific habitats hence accelerating the rate of habitat destruction and degradation due to their high densities. These changes have drastically reduced forage for elephants necessitating them to travel longer distances out of their home range in search for food. Human beings have caused land use and cover changes which have detrimental impacts on the ecosystem and ecosystem services. The Maasai Mara landscape supports one of the richest wildlife populations remaining on earth but over the last century, it has experienced land transformation notably through conversion of former rangelands used mainly for tourism and production of grains such as wheat. Land outside the national parks and the reserve is important to the future of elephant existence in Kenya. Little is known about how human occupation on these landscapes negatively affects elephants (Loxodonta africana) habitats, movement and ranges. This has been confirmed by the current continuous demarcation/fencing of land in most areas in Narok County. Elephants like other landscape species, have both temporal and spatial requirements, which if not provided, will render them vulnerable to the land use practices of people. The study aimed to assess the changes that have occurred in land use and land cover within the Maasai Mara landscape using remote sensed data from 1997 to 2017; examine the elephant distribution in relation to land use and land cover changes within the Mara landscape and to determine changes in elephant home ranges in relation to Land use and cover changes in the Mara landscape. The paper describes the different changes that have taken place within the MML and how these changes have affected elephant populations, their trend and distribution within the MML. In examining the land use and land cover changes on the elephant ranges and distribution, an integrated methodological approach was employed in which the changes that have taken place within the study area over a period of 20 years was determined by analysis involving a 10-year changes in land use and land cover using three epochs from 1997, 2007 and 2017 to generate six land use classes. The study found out that there were significant changes of various classes across the years. Forest, water and open shrubs coverages decreased from 1997 to 2017. Classification noted a serious problem within the study area of continuous increase of bare ground coverage across the study years. Elephant populations have been increasing within the area .at an annual rate of 2.69%. The animals are distributed all over the landscape. Distribution of elephants has been restricted to high densities within a specific habitat hence accelerating rate of habitat destruction and degradation due to their high densities within a specific habitat. These changes have reduced drastically foliage for elephants thus necessitating them to travel longer distances in search and as a result increases elephant home ranges.

Forest and wood land ecosystems in Tanzania occupy more than 45% of the land area, more than two thirds of which made up of the Miombo woodland. The main form of land use in the Miombo region has long been shifting and small-scale sedentary cultivation. The lack of infrastructure and prevalence of deadly diseases such as malaria and trypanosiomiasis have long limited extensive clearance for cultivation, livestock farming and settlements. However, due to positives changes in the socio-economical, political and technological setup in miombo region, the types and intensity of land use are now changing. This paper discusses preliminary results from a study conducted with the aim of contributing to the understanding of dynamics of land cover and use changes in miombo woodlands of eastern Tanzania. The study area comprises four villages around the “Kitulangalo Forest Reserve”, 140 km west of Dar es Salaam on either side of the Morogoro-Dar es Salaam highway. Landsat MSS satellite images of July 1975, Landsat TM satellite images of July 2000 were used to assess land cover changes between 1975 and 2000. Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA), questionnaire survey and checklists for key informants were the major methods used for collecting socio-economic data. The land cover/use class of woodland with scattered cultivation has recorded the highest percentage of change between July 1975 and July 2000. While all other classes have registered positive changes, only the closed woodland class has had negative change meaning that this class has been decreasing in favour of other land cover/use classes. Recent land cover and use changes are drastic in the study area. These changes have been triggered largely by varied factors including mainly increased population density and subsequent economic activities. Economic activities including charcoal business, shifting cultivation, opening up of improved highway and pastoralism in the study area have greatly contributed to deforestation and woodland degradation. In light of these findings, there is need for: (1) Adequate land use planning and survey of village lands so as to avoid exacerbation of land use conflict and environmental degradation in the study area. (2) Agrarian reforms to eliminate open access regimes to natural resources. (3) Enforcement of fiscal policies related to the extraction of natural resource products such as timber and charcoal so as to reduce pressure on woodlands. Keywords: land use – cover change – Kitulangalo – miombo woodlands

Spatial analysis of land use and cover changes: Implications of green legacy initiative on climate action in Upper Awash Basin, Ethiopia

This study aims to analyze temporal changes in land use and land cover change (LUCC) as well as identify areas for natural regeneration and potential areas for forest restoration in the Huasteca region for the period from 1976 to 2007. Changes were quantified in numbers and, additionally, cartography was used to identify and map the main affected areas. Different models based on Geographic Information Systems (GIS) demonstrated that LUCC have occurred on an area of 11718.82 km2, representing 17.84% of the region’s surface. Agriculture and the growth of pasture could be identified as the main human-induced activities that have led to landscape modification. In addition, forest cover is affected by a deforestation rate which is higher than the national average. Further important changes include a change from natural land cover to non-original land cover, affecting an area of 4911.88 km2 in the period from 1976-1993, and an area of 1892.5 km2 in the period from 1993-2002. Smaller changes could be observed for the period from 1993-2002 with an affected area of 1029.78 km2. At the same time, a natural regeneration from nonoriginal to original land cover took place from 1976-1993 on an area of 1318.68 km2, and also on an area of 974.18 km2 between 1993 an 2002. The surface that underwent a natural regeneration of forest cover made up 1932.07 km2. At the same time, an area of 5739.29 km2 for potential forest restoration was identified. Drawing on GIS methods and techniques, the development of thematic maps for land use, land use and land cover changes for the years of analysis (1976-1993-2002-2007) proved to be very adequate for the evaluation and analysis of the land cover and land use change, in particular with regard to the decrease of natural vegetation cover.

The Tibetan Plateau (TP) is an important ecological security barrier for China and, indeed, for all Asia. Land use and land cover changes in the plateau not only affect the ecological environment and regional development of the plateau itself but also affect the stability and economic development of ecosystems in eastern China and other parts of Asia. This paper is based on an examination of the achievements of land use and cover change in the TP and a reanalysis of data including that of Climate Change Initiative Land Cover from 1992 to 2015; land use data provided by the Resource and Environmental Science Data Center of the Chinese Academy of Sciences for 1995, 2000, 2010 and 2015; and statistical data from Qinghai and Tibet. The paper analyzes the overall characteristics of land use and land cover changes in the TP and the spatial and temporal processes and their driving forces of land use and land cover change in typical regions and land types. This research is important not only for land change science and global change research but also for the promotion of the plateau and its adjacent areas. In recent decades, research has shown that the land use and land cover structure of the TP is stable, and the proportion of first-level land use type change was less than 7% from 1992 to 2015. Most of these changes are single time changes, with multiple land change occurring only in 1.85% of the total change area. The quality of land cover has been improved in areas where no land type change occurred. The Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) showed an increasing trend in 24.45% of the area and a decreasing trend in only 1.31% of the area. The area of cultivated land, forest, grassland, wetland, and construction land on the plateau has increased, whereas bare land, glacier, and snow cover area has decreased. In most parts of the TP, the quality of alpine grassland has improved; however, in some areas, it has degraded at a local scale. Most of the woodland has recovered well after phased changes. Prior to 1980, there was a rapid increase in cultivated land area, but this has since become stable with only minor increases. However, the utilization intensity of cultivated land has increased significantly in recent years. Construction land has expanded significantly, and the recent growth rate has accelerated since 2010. Both the increasing speed of change and the construction land area in Qinghai Province are higher than in Tibet. There has been a general trend of a slight decrease in bare land change. In densely populated areas in the Yellow River-Huangshui River Valley and the One-River-Two-Tributaries area, land types that are closely related to human utilization such as construction land, cultivated land, and artificial woodland have undergone obvious changes. In pastoral areas, such as the Northern Tibetan Plateau and the Source Regions of The Three Rivers, overgrazing and ecological construction have significantly affected land cover. In the Qomolangma National Nature Preserve, land use types are diverse; changes are complex; and land cover is more sensitive to both climate change and human activity. There are limitations to the study of land change in the plateau, such as the difficulty of meeting the needs of ecological construction with existing data and the lack of in-depth understanding of the process of land use change and its environmental effects. Field monitoring and remote sensing techniques must be strengthened in order to clarify the process of land use intensity change and its impact on the ecological environment of the TP. These improvements will better serve the construction of an ecological security barrier and the sustainable development of the region.

Lilongwe, Malawi’s capital city, has grown nearly tenfold in the last 40 years with a 4-5% annual population growth rate, and the city’s population is projected to double over the next decade. Rural to urban migration and natural increase are the driving factors of the city’s urban expansion. Characterised by the urbanisation of poverty, Lilongwe is experiencing uncontrolled and unplanned urban expansion that has led to the growth of informal settlements. Urbanisation leads to land use land cover (LULC) changes that negatively impact the quality of life and the environment. Lilongwe faces many challenges, including high levels of poverty, inequality, poorly built infrastructure, lack of access to safe sanitation and clean water, urban flooding, and poor waste disposal. Effective land use planning is important in mitigating future urbanisation's adverse effects. To prepare and plan for the inevitable future urban growth of the city, studies of historical land use land cover changes are essential in understanding the urbanisation trajectory of the city. This study used post classification change detection and the SLEUTH urban growth model to analyse land use land cover changes in Lilongwe from 2002 to 2022. Results revealed that Lilongwe’s urban growth is characterised by the expansion of built area coverage within and on the edges of already existing urban clusters. While urban growth is apparent in all parts of the city, it is concentrated in the northwest, southwest, and southeast.

Land use and land cover changes (LULCC) as a part of ecosystems has a significant impact on carbon budget. According to IPCC, approximately 23% of carbon was emitted from the human activities in agriculture, forestry and other land use (AFOLU) from 2007 to 2016. However, land cover includes crucial sector for carbon stock, as well. The land cover consists of five categories which are used area, agricultural land, forest, grass, wet land, and barren. Among these categories, forest counts because of its capacity of carbon sequestration. It is essential to manage the land use and land cover changes effectively since it has lots of influences on carbon cycles. Also, the sustainable management of land use and land cover changes could contribute to reducing the carbon emissions such as preventing deforestation and revegetation. Therefore, this study aims at analyzing the frequent land use change region using hot spot analysis in South Korea and North Korea and estimating the carbon emission and removals from land cover changes. First of all, we tracked the land cover changes at 10 years interval from 1980s to 2010s and identified the general trends. The changed area and ratio of each land cover were varied in both countries, but they had similar characteristics which is land cover changes from forest to cropland and from cropland to forest. It occurred for last four decades. To define the which region has been changed, the hot spot analysis was utilized. The change from forest to cropland appeared in southwest region of North Korea, major agriculture land. On the other hand, the transition from agriculture land to forest seemed to be minor, but the distinguished figure was created during the 2000s to 2010s change. The carbon emission was estimated at the hot spot area and these repeated changes led to additional carbon emission. This study would contribute to preventing the land cover changes frequent by defining the region to be managed.

The study evaluates land use and land cover changes in Bombali District, Sierra Leone, with a particular focus on the decline of sugarcane farming the research creates detailed maps to envision current land use patterns, highlighting areas of sugarcane cultivation and shifts to alternative agricultural practices. The objectives of this research are to create detailed maps showing current land use and land cover, highlighting areas of sugarcane cultivation as farm bush, quantify and analyze Land Use and Land Cover Changes in the study area over stated periods, focusing on the dynamics of sugarcane farming, identify and assess the socio-economic and environmental factors contributing to the deterioration in sugarcane farming within the context of competing land uses. To demonstrate our idea effectively, the researchers used a Geographical information system and remote sensing technique to quantify and map the changes in each Land Use and Land Cover Changes category. Employing an error matrix table and estimator of Kappa statistics (Khat), we were able to achieve overall accuracy, and Khat greater than 80% for class-level accuracies which were also achieved as greater than 80%. Findings indicate that rising population density and economic incentives for diversifying crops have led to a notable shift away from sugarcane cultivation. To address these tasks and invigorate the sugarcane sector, the study recommends promoting sustainable agricultural practices, supporting crop diversification, enhancing market access and infrastructure, implementing effective environmental management policies, and encouraging ongoing research and development. By implementing these approaches, Bombali District can foster agricultural resilience, improve local livelihoods, and ensure sustainable land use practices that benefit both farmers and the environment

The pace of change in land use and cover in Ethiopia depends on three main factors that cause pressure on agriculture land: resettlement programmes, population growth and increasing agricultural investments. Gambella is one of the regions of Ethiopia that attracts large-scale agricultural investments that extensively drive land use and cover changes in the region. The aim of this study is to examine the rate, extent and distribution of various land use and cover changes in Gambella Regional State, Ethiopia, from 1987 to 2017. The analysis is mainly based on Landsat 5 and Sentinel 2A satellite images and fieldwork. Two Landsat Thematic Mapper and a Sentinel 2A image were used for determining the maximum likelihood of land use/cover classification. The results show that farmland decreased by 26 km2 from 1987 to 2000; however, during the last two decades, agricultural land area increased by 599 km2, mainly at the cost of tropical grasslands and forests. We found that areas cultivated by smallholder farmers increased by 9.17% from 1987 to 2000. However, small-scale farm activities decreased by 7% from 2000 to 2017. Areas cultivated by large-scale state farms totalled 202 km2 in 1987; but by 2000, this large-scale state farming had been completely abandoned by the state, and as a result, its land use has decreased to zero. Despite this, in 2017 large-scale farming increased to 746 km2. In addition, Gambella National Park, which is the nation's largest national park and ecosystem, was also largely affected by Land Use and Land Cover changes. The conversion of savannah/tropical grasslands to agricultural farmland has caused varied and extensive environmental degradation to the park. The Land Use and Land Cover changes in the Gambella region are discussed on the basis of underlying socioeconomic factors.

This study investigates land use and land cover changes in the Teiči Strict Nature Reserve, Latvia, from 1982 to 2023 and models potential future changes based on four legislative scenarios extending to 2064. The research aims to assess the effectiveness of existing conservation zoning in relation to historical and projected changes in land use and land cover, addressing the ongoing debate between fixed and adaptable conservation strategies. The study employs remote sensing imagery, geographical information system data, and land use and land cover modeling methods to analyze historical changes and predict future trends. The results suggest substantial land use and land cover changes over the past four decades, including intensified urbanization, agricultural expansion, and a decline in peat bogs and forested areas. Scenario projections indicate that continued land use and land cover changes could further challenge the efficiency of current conservation strategies, with varying outcomes depending on legislative measures and climate change impacts. The study concludes that adaptive management and variable conservation zoning are necessary to address these dynamic changes and preserve the reserve’s ecological integrity. The results emphasize the importance of integrating predictive modeling into conservation planning to improve flexibility and sustainability in protected areas.

AN ASSESSMENT OF SPATIAL VARIATION OF LAND SURFACE CHARACTERISTICS OF MINNA, NIGER STATE NIGERIA FOR SUSTAINABLE URBANIZATION USING GEOSPATIAL TECHNIQUES

Dynamics of ecosystem services (ESs) in response to land use land cover (LU/LC) changes in the lower Gangetic plain of India

A comprehensive analysis and future projection of land use and land cover dynamics in a fast-growing city: A case study of Sekondi-Takoradi metropolis, Ghana

To demonstrate potential future consequences of land cover and land use changes beyond those for physical climate and the carbon cycle, we present an analysis of large‐scale impacts of land cover and land use changes on atmospheric chemistry using the chemistry‐climate model EMAC (ECHAM5/MESSy Atmospheric Chemistry) constrained with present‐day and 2050 land cover, land use, and anthropogenic emissions scenarios. Future land use and land cover changes are expected to result in an increase in global annual soil NO emissions by ∼1.2 TgN yr−1 (9%), whereas isoprene emissions decrease by ∼50 TgC yr−1 (−12%). The analysis shows increases in simulated boundary layer ozone mixing ratios up to ∼9 ppbv and more than a doubling in hydroxyl radical concentrations over deforested areas in Africa. Small changes in global atmosphere‐biosphere fluxes of NOx and ozone point to compensating effects. Decreases in soil NO emissions in deforested regions are counteracted by a larger canopy release of NOx caused by reduced foliage uptake. Despite this decrease in foliage uptake, the ozone deposition flux does not decrease since surface layer mixing ratios increase because of a reduced oxidation of isoprene by ozone. Our study indicates that the simulated impact of land cover and land use changes on atmospheric chemistry depends on a consistent representation of emissions, deposition, and canopy interactions and their dependence on meteorological, hydrological, and biological drivers to account for these compensating effects. It results in negligible changes in the atmospheric oxidizing capacity and, consequently, in the lifetime of methane. Conversely, we expect a pronounced increase in oxidizing capacity as a consequence of anthropogenic emission increases.

<p>Analyzing the dominant forms and extent of land cover changes in the Mount Elgon region is important for tracking conservation efforts and sustainable land management. Mount Elgon's rugged terrain limits monitoring these changes over large areas. With conducive climatic conditions, highly fertile and productive soils; Elgon is one of the densely populated rural mountainous regions in East Africa. The demand for more agricultural land and space for settlement has led to continued vegetation clearance and encroachment of the park. These pressures combined with the loss of vegetation cover have led to the continued occurrence of natural hazards, especially landslides and soil erosion events. Recent studies have given focus to these hazards and coping strategies. However, monitoring changes in land cover and associated driving factors are fundamental towards the improvement of land use, land restoration, and vegetation recovery in Mount Elgon. This study used multitemporal satellite imagery, aerial photographs, field surveys, and expert interviews to analyze and quantify the land cover flows in the upper Manafwa watershed of Mount Elgon, for 42 years covering an area of  319.73km<sup>2</sup>. The study employed remote sensing techniques and geographic information system and software to map land cover changes for four stages (1978-1988, 1988-2001, 2001-2010, and 2010-2020). The study considered nine land cover classes; tropical high forest well-stocked, grassland, shrubs, bushland, bare & sparsely vegetated surfaces, tropical high forest low-stocked, agriculture, planted forest, and built-up. The maximum likelihood classifier of supervised classification and post-classification comparison technique was used in land cover classification and change detection analysis. The classified maps of 2020, 2010, 2001, 1988 and 1978 achieved high accuracy values of 93%, 89%, 89%, 88% and 83% respectively. Results showed conversion of tropical high forest well-stocked (22%), grassland (6.89%), shrubs (6.21%), bushland (4.29%), and bare & sparsely vegetated surfaces (1%) into agriculture (19.8%), tropical high forest low-stocked (10.29%), planted forest (5.83%) and built-up (4.46%) most especially at the peripheries of the park from 1978 to 2020. These dynamics are due to rapid population growth and increasing demand for agriculture space. Regreening as a restoration effort has led to an increase in land area for planted forests, attributed to an improvement in conservation efforts jointly implemented by the concerned stakeholders and native communities. Landsat satellite imagery provides information on change detection which is resourceful to tracking conservation efforts. The trend of land cover flows found in this study, especially illustrations of areas of deforestation and loss of natural vegetation cover classes provides resourceful information for policymakers and responsible authorities to further take appropriate decisions and actions to revert the situation and reduce encroachment into the National Park. Near real-time monitoring systems of human disturbances in conservation areas should also be incorporated and actions are taken to minimize forest encroachment. These findings could further, enhance the implementation of rigorous conservation efforts when coupled with in-depth studies on associated determinants of these changes.</p>